Blackhawks acquire Samsonov from Habs

Hockey Betting Lines

06/16/2007 - Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Blackhawks acquired forward Sergei Samsonov from the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday in exchange for defenseman Jassen Cullimore and forward Tony Salmelainen.

Samsonov played in 63 games last season for Montreal and registered nine goals and 17 assists.

"We believe Sergei can rebound and give us a spark on the power play and offensively as well as improve our overall skill level," said Chicago general manager Dale Tallon in making the announcement. "We feel he has a lot left in the tank and playing under Denis Savard will bring out the offensive creativity that he has shown in the past."

Samsonov, who was selected with the eighth overall pick in the 1997 draft by the Boston Bruins, won the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie in 1997-98.

In nine seasons in the league, Samsonov has appeared in 596 regular-season games with Boston, Edmonton and Montreal, scoring 178 goals and picking up 240 assists for 418 points. He has also played in 59 career playoff games, recording 13 goals and 26 assists for 39 points

Cullimore, 34, played the last two seasons with the Blackhawks, scoring two goals and picking up 12 assists in 118 games. This will be Cullimore's second stint in Montreal as the blueliner spent two years with the Habs starting in 1996.

The 25-year-old Salmelainen netted six goals and added 11 helpers in 57 games last season for Chicago.

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MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.

Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.

According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).

Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.

''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
    
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.

Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.

''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''

Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
   
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.

”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
   
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.

For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.